In the chemical separation field, the performance of centrifugal extractors not only depends on the mechanical precision of core components but also on the systematic design of inlet and outlet piping. Through research and develop on LC centrifugal extractors, we have demonstrated the critical impact of piping layout on extraction efficiency, product purity, and equipment stability, providing the industry with a replicable process optimization paradigm.

I. The Impact of Piping Design on Extraction Performance

1. Flow Field Uniformity Control
The inlet piping of a centrifugal extractor must ensure that the two phases enter the drum at a stable flow rate to avoid local turbulence caused by flow rate differences. Our LC series utilizes a tapered inlet structure, coupled with a dynamic flow control valve, to achieve uniform laminar flow between the organic and aqueous phases before entering the drum. For example, when processing nickel-cobalt leachate, by optimizing the pipe diameter ratio (organic phase diameter: aqueous phase diameter = 1.2:1), the mixing time between the two phases was reduced to 0.3 seconds, a 40% improvement in efficiency compared to traditional designs. 2. Pressure Fluctuation Suppression
The pressure stability of the outlet pipeline directly impacts the clarity of the phase separation interface. The LC series equipment features a buffer tank and backpressure valve at the heavy phase outlet to control pressure fluctuations within ±0.5 kPa. In a cefuroxime intermediate extraction project, this design reduced the emulsion layer thickness from 15 cm to 0.8 cm, improving phase separation efficiency by 94% and achieving a single-stage extraction yield of 92%.
3. Temperature Gradient Management
Pipeline material and insulation design are crucial for handling heat-sensitive materials. The LC series utilizes 316L stainless steel-lined polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite piping, coupled with an electric heating system, to ensure temperature fluctuations of less than 2°C during transportation of strong acid systems (pH ≤ 0.5). In the treatment of furanoxamic acid synthesis liquid, this design reduced the volatilization loss rate of the dichloromethane phase from 3.2% to 0.3%.

II. Piping Innovations in the LC Series Process

1. Multi-Stage Countercurrent Series System
The LC-450/LC-650 equipment utilizes modular piping to achieve 8-12 stages of countercurrent extraction. The outlet of each drum stage is connected to the inlet of the next stage via quick-connect connectors, forming a closed-loop system. In cobalt and nickel separation projects, this ten-stage countercurrent system has increased resource utilization from 60% to 96%, with an annual processing capacity exceeding 500,000 tons. An online turbidity sensor in the pipeline monitors the quality of phase separation in real time, automatically triggering a backflush when the turbidity exceeds 50 NTU.
2. Solvent Recycling System
The fully enclosed piping design integrates airtight rotary joints and solvent recovery cold traps. The LC series equipment utilizes a dual-channel piping layout, allowing the dichloromethane phase and the sodium hydroxide stripping solution to circulate simultaneously in separate channels. In tea polyphenol extraction, the six-stage countercurrent system achieves a solvent utilization rate of 98%, reducing solvent consumption per ton of raw material by 60%. The ceramic membrane filter (0.2μm grade) in the pipeline intercepts micron-sized droplets, ensuring that the organic content in the effluent is less than 5ppm.
3. Intelligent Control Integration
The PLC control system uses pressure, flow, and temperature sensors in the pipeline to achieve adaptive parameter adjustment. When treating alcohol ether wastewater, an AI algorithm dynamically adjusts the rotational speed and flow rate based on fluctuations in the influent COD concentration (±40%), maintaining a stable effluent COD level of less than 50mg/L, achieving 100% compliance. The quick-shut valve in the pipeline responds to fault signals within 0.5 seconds, preventing abnormal solvent loss.
III. Engineering Advantages of the LC Series Piping Design

1. Material Compatibility
For highly corrosive materials, the LC Series offers a perfluoropolymer (PFA)-coated piping option. In treating furanoxamic acid synthesis liquid at pH 1.2, this design extended the equipment life from 3 to 8 years and reduced maintenance costs by 65%.
2. Scalability
The piping system maintains linear scalability from the laboratory LC-20 to the industrial-grade LC-650. Parameters such as the aspect ratio and impeller linear speed are adjusted proportionally to avoid "amplification effects." In a cobalt-nickel separation project, the five-stage cascade process was able to transfer from laboratory to industrial scale to just three months.
3. Compliance Assurance
The piping system complies with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 electronic recordkeeping regulations and supports CIP/SIP in-place cleaning and sterilization. In pharmaceutical intermediate production, this design enables the equipment to achieve GMP certification and shortens the cleaning cycle from 48 hours to 8 hours.
IV. Industry Application Proven Results

The LC series equipment has proven the effectiveness of pipeline optimization in multiple fields:
Pharmaceutical: When treating a synthetic solution containing 8% furanoxamic acid, the five-stage cascade process achieved a product purity of 99.5% and a yield of 95%.
New Energy: In a waste lithium battery recycling project, the three-stage stripping process achieved a lithium recovery rate of 98.7% and a solvent regeneration rate of 95%.
Environmental: The alcohol ether wastewater treatment system reduced the cost per ton of water treated from 1,200 yuan to 320 yuan, achieving a COD removal rate of 99.7%. Conclusion
Improving the performance of a centrifugal extractor is a systematic project. The inlet and outlet piping design, as the "nerve network" within the system, directly impacts the equipment's efficiency and stability. Shandong Liancui's LC series utilizes fluid dynamics optimization, intelligent control integration, and material innovation to create a piping system that is highly corrosion-resistant, offers enhanced mass transfer, and reduces energy consumption. This provides a replicable technical solution for the chemical separation industry. In the future, with the in-depth application of new piping materials (such as graphene composite tubing) and digital process models, centrifugal extraction technology will enter a new era of even greater efficiency and environmental friendliness.